:::Mine:::

Wake me up when September ends... well that's in like 1 day so I better hurry and write this ehh?? :)
jk.

I am an engaged woman.
...

let me repeat that.


I am an engaged woman.

!!!! WHAT??? When did that happen???

Haha honestly I can't believe this phase of life is even real for me right now. I've DREAMED of this for as long as I can remember. I've had my wedding planned since I was like, 6. (Of course, my styles and tastes have changed since then, but you get the drift.)
The shock isn't only from me tho, I've had the same reaction from my best friends. They keep saying, "Jo, remember when we talked about being engaged in 5th grade c vffff and how we wanted to get proposed and all of that?? Well... it's like, real for you now."
Everybody is literally freaking out about it.

But I prolly have more freakout moments than anybody else. I'm so incredibly happy/excited/nervous/freaked/shocked/ecstatic. It's all so surreal to me!!

-- I can't believe I now KNOW the face of the man that will be waiting for me at the end of the aisle. (Never could I guess that he'd be so dang hot!! Lucky me:) I can't believe I now KNOW the name of the man I've been praying for all these years:)
-- I can't believe I can actually write my first name with my crush's last name.... and have it actually be LEGIT!!!! :)

I am so blessed. I am blessed to love and be loved by a man like my fiance.
Not only is he really fun to look at, but he has the most INCREDIBLE heart.
The people he loves in his life, he truly LOVES.
He is real and SO down to earth.
He loves God and doesn't try to fake their relationship; when he's on fire he's on fire and when he's dry, he doesn't cover that up.
He's taught me more about myself than anybody else I've ever known.
He loves me SO unconditionally, through my mistakes and my imperfections and my emotions and my temper and even at one point my slight unfaithfulness.
He is the MOST forgiving person I've ever met in my life.
He is not afraid to be himself around me, and I think we are more than 100% comfortable around each other.
He makes me laugh and laugh.
He's sarcastic (which makes for great little flirting sessions since I'm pretty sarcastic as well:)
He's not impressed with superficial things in life, he's the simplest guy.
He brings such security to me; since our first date he's been so sure about us and his confidence has only grown since then and has even rubbed off on me.
He sucks at talking on the phone, in general, but when I'm on the other line, he's the exception:)
He's not afraid to let me in his heart, and I'm so grateful because it's such a precious thing.
He seeks out mentors in his life; men who are wise and in love with Jesus and he seeks out their opinions and values them!
He's SO GOOD at communicating! Seriously, I thought I was good but since we've started dating, I realize that I have a LOT to work on.
He's so patient with me:)
He loves me SO well.

And the list could go on and on, no joke. He's incredible. I'm so blessed. If there's such a thing as a soul-mate then I've met mine:)

Thank You Jesus.

:::I said YES!:::

On September 4th, 2009, I promised to marry the love of my life!!

Here is the Story::

So I found out through some extensive research that Billy needed to talk to my parents about something, but that they... "can't tell Jocelyn, it's a surprise!" Of course... being a female in love... I immediately assume the "obvious." He's gonna propose!!!

A few days/questions later, Billy admits that he actually HAS been trying to hide something but that he doesn't think he will be able to hide it from me much longer... "My parents, Sarah, and grandparents are coming in for Parents Weekend. We were supposed to surprise you, but it'll be hard to keep it a secret. I talked to your parents about it and they said they can all stay at your house." (*He's so sneaky*) :)

My assumptions immediately fade - So THAT'S what the "surprise" was!

All thoughts of possible upcoming proposals quickly disappear and I'm back to settling on the gameplan, that is, a proposal in January, which is what Billy had expressed he wanted to do in an earlier conversation I had with him.

Of course I'm still excited though, I love his family and hadn't seen them in a while! So a bunch of Stainbacks and Millers fly in Thursday for Billy's very last Parents Weekend at the Air Force Academy. Thursday night we had a delicious El Salvadorean dinner with my family at my house, which was SO much fun! Our families get along SO well - what a blessing. :)

Friday rolls around and we have the annual Parents Weekend Parade that all the cadets participate in followed by shadowing the cadets in a few of their classes at the Academy.

After those EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING classes, Billy had made reservations for both our families to ride the Cog Rail Train in Manitou Springs up Pikes Peak. The train departed that day at 2:40 pm, and despite the slight tardiness that tends to be a trend in both our families, we arrive in time to buy our tickets and get on the train...

Destination: 14,115 Feet in the Air... the Summit of Pikes Peak. :)

(Remember... I still had NO CLUE about any of his plans... my mind and heart were set on and ok with January.)

We finally approach the summit, all bundled up in our jackets and sweaters, and being that it was a particularly cloudy day, we didn't have much of a view of Colorado Springs. I didn't mind really, because I love Pikes Peak anyways, but everyone else (especially Billy) seemed to be a little bummed out about it... and I couldn't figure out why. (It's because EVERYBODY ELSE KNEW BUT ME! Haha:)

I immediately head inside the Gift Shop for some of the World Famous Pikes Peak Donuts and my mom rushes after me, "Jo! Hurry up come outside, there is a clearing in the clouds and we need to hurry to take pictures!"

"But Mom... I wanna donut..."
"No Jo, you need to go outside NOW!"
".... ok ok ok."

I head outside, where mine and Billy's family are all waiting by the cliff's edge to pose for the picture. After that group picture, Billy says, "Ok now I want a picture with just Jocelyn."

So everyone moves away and it's just me and Billy on the cliff's edge. I'm all posed, waiting for the picture, when he takes my hands in his... I just look at him,"Billy... what are you doing?" and he just smiles his perfect smile... and I slowly begin to realize whats happening...

............................... <3> ...............................

"Marry me Juliet, you'll never have to be alone... I love you and that's all I really know... I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress... it's a love story, Baby just say..."

"YES! YES YES YES!!!" :)

The man of my dreams proposed to me 14,115 feet in the air... surrounded by the people we love most in the world, and in the presence of the God of the Ages, who's imagination is SO MUCH better than mine:) The proposal was more perfect than anything I could've ever dreamed of... and I'm SO INCREDIBLY grateful!!!

Oh, how He loves us so.

Thank you Jesus.

:)

:::August where did you go??:::

I can't believe a whole month has gone by with no blog! Believe me... there is no good reason for this. I will post one soon. Because writing is so good for my heart. And Jesus likes to talk to me through writing. So.... it's needed:)